Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-09-29
AeRIouLTuRAL s.eoTRN.
why Farmers shoula Atm 70 Control
Their Foibies and rrejudlces.

opinions aid pfasti6es. Il not confined
10 religious OF political affairs Therc
Is rs strong an adherence to certain
notions about agriculture as concern
ing any political opinions or religious
doctrines. II is generally Nckhowl-
edged that fatnicfs arc m0to likoly TO
be bigoted In relation to politics than
persons Of equal intelligence who are
ct -aged in other pursuits Observers
State that country people have more
docidco viows on most matters than
tho Inhabitants 81 larg6 towns do.
They form opinions early In life and
hold to them all their days. They arc
ready to defend them on any aud all
occasions. They arc not, as rule, de-
sirous of carefully examining into the
merits Of new doctrines and practices.
IL not positively bigotcd they are ex-
trcmcly conservative. Politicians can
count on the vote In tho reurttn be-
foro any election; with much greater
rrturaGy than they can on that OF a
largo city. Tho changes from one
election time to another will DC likely
to result from mi increase or decrease
IN population moro than from change
In political sentiment.
That farmers arc generally very
bigoted IN relation TO matters that
pertain to agriculture horticulture.
breeds Of animals, tho construction of
buildings, the preference fBr nipple
mcnts and thd Infringement Of estates
is d matter Of common observation.
The many articles written by farmers
that have recently been published in
relation to the cause Of recent
droughts, show that tho authors arc
apparently more dcsirous Of defend
ing certain theories than Of getting at
what Artcmas Ward was wont to call
"thc true facts in tho case" One
class of those writers declare that tho
drought ot this and last season was
ealistd hy The largo amount Of tile.
draining that has boer done during
the past few years. They state that ii
has resulted in u diminished rainfall
over n large extent ~ country. and in
redutihg the quantity and quality Of
crops on all the farms where the tiles
have been laid. They attempted to
prove the last proposition by observa.
tions on adjoining farms, some Of
which are tilc-drainod and some are
not Another class uf writer's de-
tlaros that tilo-drainage oxcrts no
influence on rainfall, and is very
beneficial to crops during a season Of
protractcd drought. Like the others,
they defend their position by giving
the rusult Of extended observations.
The controversy is much like that
which has long leen waged in relation
TO the value Of trees In producing rain
and modifying the temperature Of the
atmosphere. People "take sides" ON
the matter as they do on political and
religious subjects. They are not
searching for truths but for argu-
mcnts TO support the theory they are
welded to and from which they never
desire TO be divorced, II a man differs
from them in regard to the influence
of trees ia producing rainfall aud low
ering the temperature Of the mir during
the winter. they are likely to denounco
him as meteorological hereto, who
richly reserves to have his fields
parchcd during the summer aud to
suffer with cold during the winter.
The doctrine that the leaves Of forest
trees eyaporatc more water than the
leaves of corn, and that the trees per-
form the same work that high elcva-
tious of land do in precipitating the
moisture In clouds, is preached with MS
much positivencss rs il it had been re-
ceivcd from Mount Sinai and :hon dem
onstrated by scientific experiment.
SIN, neither revelation nor science has
declared that trees exert any great in
fucnce in increasing the fall Of rain,
though they are Of great value for
other purposes.
In the matter Of selecting a breed OF
horses, cattle, sheep or pigs, farmers
show the same strong prejudice that
they exhibit in politics and religious
matters. There are Hereford and
shorthorn bigots among the cattle
men. Ayrshire, Jersey and Holstein
bigots among dairymcn and Ciydes.
dale and Norman bigots among the
breeders Of draft horses. Thoy have
nltde up their mind, that the animals
they are Interested in are the best
OF the kind, and they will not consider
the merits Of others. They are ~ like
~ to lose their temper when rival
breed is praised rs they are when
the sounhncss ot their political opin.
ion is called In question. An example
Of bovine bisotry was afforded at the
late dairy exhibition in New York.
Tho admirers OF the Channel Island
cows offered gold medal rs n prize
for the animal whose milk for n given
number Of hours would make the
most butter. On this medal was en-.
graycd n Jersey COW. But the com.
mittce awarded the prize to n Hol.
stein COW. and her owner carried to
his home y medal prepared rs IL no
COW Of any breed colld rival the Jersey
In the production Of rich milk.
Political bigotry is harmless so faf
as economic or pccuniary Mates are
concerned Such is not the case. ho W.
ever, with agricultural bigoiry. IL
stands in the way Of success. II
blinds the eyes, stops the ears and pre-.
vents the proper exercise Of the jndg.
ment II even hinders n man from oh.
tanning desirable and valuable infor-
nation. A bigoted person is not like.
ly TO want to obtain all the facts that
relate 10 the matter concerning which
he has made up his mind and an.
nounccd his decided opinions Ho
does not desire to be convinced Of his
errors, for he Is not willing to admit
that he l. iiable IN any Assrieutfural